Omar Abdullah slams Kashmir Files backers for seeking 'accuracy and nuance' in IC 814 portrayal, calls out double standards

Omar Abdullah seems to highlight that these people, who previously seemed to dismiss the need for accuracy in storytelling, are suddenly demanding "accuracy and nuance" in this case.

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has weighed in on the growing controversy surrounding the portrayal of the 1999 IC 814 hijacking in a Netflix series. Amid criticism that the show "whitewashes" the terrorists involved and alters historical facts, Abdullah took to social media to call out what he perceives as a double standard among those now demanding accuracy in storytelling.

In his tweet, Omar Abdullah is pointing out the irony in how some people who unquestioningly accepted the narrative of movies like The Kashmir Files are now upset about how the hijacking of IC814 is portrayed in the show. He highlighted that these people, who previously seemed to dismiss the need for accuracy in storytelling, are suddenly demanding "accuracy and nuance" in this case. His remark suggests a contradiction in their standards depending on the subject matter.

"It’s really amusing to see the people who took movies like Kashmir Files as the gospel truth having a melt down at the way the events of IC814 are depicted in the Netflix show. Now suddenly they want accuracy & nuance packaged in the script," Omar Abdullah wrote on X.

Its really amusing to see the people who took movies like Kashmir Files as the gospel truth having a melt down at the way the events of IC814 are depicted in the Netflix show. Now suddenly they want accuracy & nuance packaged in the script.
Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) September 1, 2024

Omar Abdullah's comment comes as several social media users have expressed outrage over the Netflix series, accusing it of distorting the events of the hijacking by changing the names of the terrorists and omitting key cultural and religious contexts. Many critics argue that these creative decisions downplay the severity of the crisis and misrepresent the individuals responsible for the hijacking. The series has also been criticized for portraying the Indian government’s response to the hijacking in a negative light, without adequately considering the challenges faced during the crisis.

Omar Abdullah’s tweet highlights the irony in the current backlash, pointing out that the same individuals who accepted films like The Kashmir Files without question are now demanding historical accuracy and complexity in the Netflix series. His remarks suggest that these critics may be applying inconsistent standards depending on the subject matter.

Directed by Anubhav Sinha, the series is based on the 1999 hijack of an Indian aircraft by five terrorists on December 24, 1999, 40 minutes after it took off from Kathmandu.

At least 154 passengers and crew were held hostage for eight days and the stand-off ended when hardcore terrorists Masood Azhar, Omar Sheikh and Mushtaq Ahmad Zargar were released and the then external affairs minister Jaswant Singh took them on a special plane to Kandahar.

"IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack" features Naseeruddin Shah, Pankaj Kapur, Vijay Varma, Manoj Pahwa, Kumud Mishra, Arvind Swamy, Dia Mirza and Patralekhaa, among others.